Today one of the most awaited moments of this year has arrived - it's time to reveal who will host the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. The Host Broadcaster, Swedish SVT, announced that it'll be… Malmö to be the home of the contest in 2013!

 

The decision about the host city was open till the very last minute, SVT says. They received proposals from Stockholm and Malmö. "It was not really an easy decision," Martin Österdahl, Executive Producer of the 2013 contest says.

 

"We chose Malmö because there is a very good infrastructure and we have good experience of holding Melodifestivalen [the Swedish national selection]and the Eurovision Song Contest there," he explains. "The choice of Malmö is based on an overall assessment of the environment in which we think is best for the format of the Eurovision Song Contest, both in terms of TV shows and on the preparations."

 

"We are very pleased to have a Host City already at this stage. It shows the deep commitment SVT and the whole of Sweden have to host a great Eurovision Song Contest in 2013," says Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor on behalf of the EBU. "We're sure Malmö will be a great host for next year's edition of Europe's favourite TV show."

 

The agreement means that SVT is responsible for all aspects related to TV shows and Malmö will support you with a comprehensive hosting service, logistics and events for the international press, the visiting fans and the participating delegations.

 

"Now the work starts on one of the biggest music shows in Europe to create an amazing event. We are obviously extremely proud and happy today," says Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö.

 

Malmö Arena where the contest will be held is a relatively new arena, inaugurated in 2008. It has a capacity of up to 15,500 for concerts but for the Eurovision Song Contest, the capacity will most likely be lower.

 

The semi-finals of the Swedish national selection for Europe's favourite TV show have been held there since 2009. Malmö Arena is very similar to Hartwall Arena in Helsinki where the Eurovision Song Contest was held in 2007.

 

Bit of a surprise? :o Second non-capital host city within three years.

Bugger, doubt I'll be able to go now, the cheap hotels will have all gone!

Very big surprise there! :o

 

15,500 is quite low compared to recent years right? I'm probably wrong however :kink:

Given tickets for Dusseldorf sold out in about 4 hours I would have thought they'd go for the 40,000 seat arena but what do I know! :lol:

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM... I'm a bit sceptic :thinking:

Given tickets for Dusseldorf sold out in about 4 hours I would have thought they'd go for the 40,000 seat arena but what do I know! :lol:

They're trying to tone the contest down so it's more affordable for small countries to host in the future.

 

Of course this basically turns it into a Danish contest given anybody with any sense will be staying in Copenhagen now all the Malmo hotels have gone.

They're trying to tone the contest down so it's more affordable for small countries to host in the future.

 

Of course this basically turns it into a Danish contest given anybody with any sense will be staying in Copenhagen now all the Malmo hotels have gone.

 

Hmm, that's a good point. Plus I suppose there's a point where the stadium could become too big *cough*2001*cough*.

Here's the logo! :cheer:

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/75/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2013.svg/250px-Eurovision_Song_Contest_2013.svg.png

Hardly worth CHEERLEADING given the logo's been generic for years!

Hardly worth CHEERLEADING given the logo's been generic for years!

 

Yes, but it feels like a big moment when you get the city and the year underneath! :D

Yeah, there will be A LOT of Copenhageners at Eurovision next year - Malmö is like half an hour away from Copenhagen :lol:

Of course this basically turns it into a Danish contest given anybody with any sense will be staying in Copenhagen now all the Malmo hotels have gone.

 

I wouldn't call it sensible considering Copenhagen is about twice the price of Stockholm, let alone Malmö! Lund would be better. It's the same distance away (probably closer actually) and it's a university city, so the nightlife would be lively and a bit more affordable than the Hagen!

 

Anyway, Malmö is hardly the nicest city in Sweden and it's as rough as nails. I hope they can improve the image before next May (there seems to have been a huge political effort to 'clean it up' recently). That said, Dusseldorf wasn't any better...

...nor was Baku!

:manson: What a rubbish decision. They've even built a new, perfect-for-Eurovision venue in Stockholm! I know they're trying to tone the contest down, but that's just ludicrous given Stockholm has by far the best resources within the country to host the contest.

...nor was Baku!

 

That was the safest it got in Azerbaijan. Sweden is one of the safest/most beautiful countries in the world and they chose Malmö. I'm sure it's fine but it would be the equivalent of holding the contest in Newcastle if the UK won...

Probably only chose Malmö to spite Nikki. 2:05 in the video.

 

:lol:

 

Poor Stockholm!

Edited July 8, 201213 yr by Ryan741

:manson: What a rubbish decision. They've even built a new, perfect-for-Eurovision venue in Stockholm! I know they're trying to tone the contest down, but that's just ludicrous given Stockholm has by far the best resources within the country to host the contest.

Swedbank was already booked for a hockey tournament that weekend. It would've been Globen or nothing.

Well Globen is still one of the best venues in Europe for the contest, one can see that from how brilliant Melodifestivalen is there. It just doesn't make any sense at all to put the contest in Malmö.

Well Globen is still one of the best venues in Europe for the contest, one can see that from how brilliant Melodifestivalen is there. It just doesn't make any sense at all to put the contest in Malmö.

 

Maybe they don't want angry hockey fans mixing with euro-loons?